Barrington Community School & Barrington Garden Club
present Paris in the Spring The Art & Gardens of the Ile de France May 23 - 30 , 2009
e love Paris in the springtime – partly because W that is when the gardens are in full bloom! From the heady allure of the Left Bank to the majestic sweep of the grand boulevards, the City of Light will be yours to explore for a week this spring.
Our included city tour will take in the gothic splendor of Notre Dame, the soaring Tour d’Eiffel, the Arc de Triomphe, and the splendors of the Louvre Museum. There will also be plenty of free time for you to explore the archetypal Parisian sights and sounds. Beyond the city, we’ll have a full day to experience the majesty of Versailles with a local guide to take us through its assortment of extravagant rooms and then, after lunch in the town, we’ll have the afternoon to stroll through the glorious gardens.
We’ll have free time to explore the gardens of the city center – the Tuilleries, the Jardins des Luxembourg and other less well-known gems - and we have included excursions to some treasures just outside the city. A trip to the northwest will take us to Monet’s splendid garden at Giverny, instantly recognizable from his work there, and another journey to the The Garden Behind Notre Dame south takes us to Fontainebleau and the Chateau de Cour- ances. The cost of this itinerary, per person, double occupancy is: Barrington Community School’s director, Sandi Tinyk Boston departure: $3980 and Discover Europe have designed a trip with a won- Land only (no airfare included): $2950 derful balance of guided days and free time to explore Single supplement: $750 on your own, so why not come and see what the song was all about and visit Paris in the springtime? The following services are included: Airfare: Round trip air from Boston to Paris. All airport taxes and customs charges included. Hotels: 6 nights accommodation in a central first-class hotel. All hotel taxes and service charges included. Coaching: All ground transportation as detailed in the itinerary, including transfers from Barrington to Logan Airport. Meals: Continental breakfast daily, 1 lunch, 2 dinners Guides: Sandi Tinyk and a Discover Europe tour director. Local guides for Paris sightseeing and Versailles. Expenses: Porterage of one large suitcase per person. Entrances: Entrance fees to all sites included in the itinerary. Insurance: Complete travel insurance including cancellation coverage. Please Note: This trip may be taken as an extension to our tour, The Chelsea Flower Show, departing on May 19. The cost of this tour taken as an extension would be $3140, per person double occupancy. Monet’s House at Giverny
For further information & registration please contact: Sandi Tinyk at the Barrington Community School (401) 245-0432 Saturday, May 23rd Overnight: Plane This afternoon you board your bus in Barrington for the transfer to Boston’s Logan Airport. Evening departure from Boston to Paris. * Giverny PARIS * * Fontainebleau Sunday, May 24th Overnight: Paris Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and escorted to your hotel. After time to unpack and relax, you will have an arrival briefing, where your Dis- cover Europe guide will introduce you to the French way of life – from where to change money, and what it looks like, to how to use the subway (known as the ‘Metro’). This afternoon you can relax and begin exploring the city. We’ll gather this evening for a welcome dinner. (D)
Monday, May 25th Overnight: Paris This morning a panoramic tour of the city with a local guide introduces the ma- jor monuments - the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, and the many lovely bridges across the Seine - and provides an overview of the history of the “City of Light.” The tour will end with a guided introduction to the Musee d’Orsay. The afternoon and evening are free: explore Place St. Michel, or climb Montmartre to see the Basilica of Sacre Coeur and the whole of Paris spread out below you. For dinner, Paris can offer local bistros, 3-star Michelin restaurants, and everything in between. (B)
Tuesday, May 26th Overnight: Paris Our morning begins with a short drive out of the city, and back in time, to the 17th century and the glory days of King Louis XIV. Versailles, the ultimate royal resi- dence, occupied the talents of some of the great artists of the day, and it is a master- piece of extravagance. We’ll visit the royal apartments with a local guide, stopping for lunch, and then continue our exploration with a tour of Andre Le Notre’s superb gardens, occupying some 247 acres, and the Queen’s hamlet, where Marie Antoinette and her court play-acted at rural life. In the late afternoon we’ll return to Paris for a free evening. (B) Versailles Wednesday, May 27th Overnight: Paris Our morning begins with a short drive out of the city, and back in time, to Fontainebleau, a lovely chateau that started life in the 10th century as a hunting lodge and quickly became a favorite retreat of the Emperor Napoleon. In the afternoon we’ll continue to the Chateau de Courances, where we’ll have a private tour of the gardens before our return to Paris for a free evening. (B)
Thursday, May 28th Overnight: Paris From Paris we make an early start for Giverny to experience Monet’s garden paradise, where he lived for 43 years. Water gardens, bridges, roses—all create breathtakingly gorgeous tableaux recognizable as some of the most famous paintings in the world. With time to visit the gardens and house, we then return to Paris, stopping en route at the Iles des Impressionistes in Chatou. We’ll have a late lunch in the very restaurant (La Maison Fournaise) used in Renoir’s famous painting Dejeuner des Canotiers (Lun- cheon of the Boating Party). From here it is a very short drive into the center of Paris and our hotel. (B, L)
Friday, May 29th Overnight: Paris A free day in Paris to explore its beautiful gardens from the Tuilleries, next door to the Louvre, to the wonderful Belle Epoque conservatory at Les Serres d’Auteuil. Begin your day with a morning walk along the Seine, heading toward Place St. Michel near the Pont Neuf. You may wish to explore the Ile de la Cite, the beautiful island that houses Notre Dame, explore the narrow, winding walking streets in the vicinity, or stroll onto the Isle St. Louis where posh shops line the central street of this tiny jewel (home to the irresistible ice cream at Bertillon!). From superb museums to upscale shopping to café sampling, your day in Paris will fly by. This evening we will gather for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)
Saturday, May 30th Overnight: Home Morning transport to the airport for returning flights to Boston, where you will be met for the transfer to Barrington. (B)
The Sacre Coeur Key to included meals: B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner